Tooth brush



G. ROMANI Y ROBERT 2,172,624

TOOTH BRUSH Sept. 12, 1939;

Filed Aug. 25, 1957 Patented Sept. 12, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in tooth brushes.

The prime object of the invention is to provide a mounting for the bristles in a manner, that as the brush is reciprocated when in use, the bristles will oscillate to afford a better cleaning action.

A further object of the invention is the provision of brush units which may at will be removed and/or replaced.

Another and broader object of the invention is the provision of means for mounting a. series of brush units, so arranged that they oscillate in the reciprocation of the brush when in use.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved tooth brush.

Figure 2 is a central vertical section of the same.

' Figure 3 is a detail view of a brush unit holder.

Figure 4 is an end view of the brush holder. Figure 5 is a cross section. Figure 6 is a detail view of one of the brush units. Figure 7 is a sectional view partially in elevation of the brush units and holder.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a slightly modified form of the invention.

Figure 9 is a detail view of a modified way of a mounting the brush units.

In the drawing, l indicates a brush unit holder comprising two members 2 and 3 hinged together at 4 and provided at their opposite ends with threads 5. The members 2 and 3 have oilset portions, as at 6, and in opposite side walls are aligned openings 1. The free or. threaded ends of the members 2 and 3 are formed, respectively, with a rib 8 and groove 9. These ends are semicircular where threaded, so that when they are f brought together they form'a threaded split bolt,-

the rib and groove holding the two parts in relation.

When the two members 2 and 3 are in closed 45 position, as shown in Figure 1, the offset porend of which is rotatably mounted a feed screw It, on which is-threaded a nut or follower l5 which fits snugly within the handle ll.

In the member 2 is a duct it which communicates with the interior of the hollow handle, I while the outlet end is located in the rear of the inner brush unit.

When the parts are assembled as shown in. Figures 1 and 2, the brush units are held in op-' erative relation by the threaded connection between the free ends of the handle. The brush units being spaced apart as shown allows for a Slight oscillating movement when the brushis reciprocated in use. For instance, as the brush moves, say in one direction over the teeth, the units rock on their pivots, as best shown in Fig- -ure 7. Obviously, in the reverse movement, the

units rock in the opposite direction.

The spaces between the units are, of course, just suflicient to permit one block to contact with U the adjacent block to prevent dislocation of the unit'and yet afiord sufiicient movement to allow the necessary oscillation of the unit.

Tooth paste is stored in the hollow handle and is fed to or adjacent the bristles of the units by a turning the screw I! and forcing the nut II toward the brush end, the paste exuding through the opening I6.

If it be desired to replace the brush units, the holder I is unscrewed from the handle, the members 2 and 3 opened up (as shown in Figure 3) which frees the units. Other units may be quickly inserted,the members I and 2 drawn together and the holder threaded into the handle.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Figures 8 and 9, a solid handle 20 is employed, the handle having a cut out portion 2|, to form a seat for the brush units. The units are the same and are spaced the same as before described, except that in lieu of trunnions, the pins 9 l2 are used, the pins passing through aligned openings in the side walls of the cutout portion 2|. a

The' units in this construction operate exactly the same as the preferred form of the 'invention.

From the foregoing description, it is evident I have provided a brush which, when in use, imparts an oscillating action to the bristles, which insures of the bristles engaging the entire exposed tion when the handle is moved in the opposite direction. It is to be noted further that the blocks are free to swing on their pivots in response to the resistance of the bristles on the teeth in the movement of the handle and that 0 this freedom of movement of the blocks is limited in both directions by engagement with the adjacent blocks. Therefore, the blocks have a limited free swinging movement during the cleansing operation and this swinging movement is controlled by the contact of the bristles with the teeth and is reversed in each operative longitudinal movement of the handle.

What I claim is:

A tooth brush having a bristle body of hollow formation, including side bars, a series of blocks pivotally mounted in the side bars transversely of the bristle body and free for limited swinging movement in both directions, each of the blocks having a length exceeding the thickness and with the pivots extending from the bars at approximately mid-length of their side walls, the blocksin their pivoted relation being spaced apart from each other and from the ends of the hollow formation of the body in which they are mounted. with the spacing such to permit free swinging movement of each bar in either direction until the respective end walls of adjacent blocks contact to limit such swinging movement, the free limited swinging movement of the blocks being designed to arrange the bristles at relatively reverse inclinations to the plane of the body in the reciprocating movements. of the body during the use of the brush in cleaning the teeth.

GABRIEL ROMANI Y ROBERT. 

